ACFR teaches Heartsaver CPR and first aid to residents

July 26, 2018. When a person is suffering from cardiac arrest, irreversible brain damage starts to occur at six minutes. A patient who is bleeding from their femoral artery will bleed out in two minutes. With an average response time of four to eight minutes for first responders, this can be problematic. That’s why residents performing CPR and/or first aid prior to firefighters arriving is paramount. And that is why Adams County Fire Rescue offered a free CPR and first aid class to 15 residents on July 24 at their Training Center, located at 901 E. 68th Ave.

“If citizens haven’t started CPR or first aid as soon as they call 9-1-1, our chances of having a successful outcome for their friend, colleague or family member are almost none,” said Dave Baldwin, Division Chief of EMS. “We want the public to have the skills to be able to help each other.”

The four-hour class touched on CPR for adults, children and infants, proper AED use, choking intervention, wound packing and tourniquet use. At the conclusion of the class, participants received a certificate from ACFR along with the valuable knowledge. Those who needed an American Heart Association card for employment purposes, paid $35.

Judy Sandoval, who is a licensed massage therapist who also cares for her 92-year-old father, jumped at the opportunity to take the class.

“I think it’s great that ACFR is offering this service,” she said. “The class is very, very good. Everything I learned today I will be able to use. Everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to take this class to better help fellow community members.”

ACFR will be offering these classes every other month. Those who are interested in participating in a September class can pre-register at https://www.acfpd.org/education by selecting the Heartsaver option in the CPR drop-down menu. A paramedic will follow up with those who pre-register once the date, time and place are determined.